Palestinian inmates set cells ablaze in Israeli prison after major jailbreak

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Palestinian inmates affiliated with the Islamic Jihad movement clashed with guards and set seven cells in Ketziot Prison on fire on Wednesday, as Israeli security services continue their search for six escaped high-security prisoners, focusing on the Jezreel Valley area.

Five of the fugitives, all of whom have been accused or convicted of planning or carrying out terror attacks against Israelis, belong to Islamic Jihad. The same day, about 400 Islamic Jihad-affiliated prisoners were dispersed among Israel’s maximum-security prisons.

Prison Service Commissioner Katy Perry decided shortly after the inmates’ escape on Monday to move the inmates, in order to ensure that only one Islamic Jihad prisoner is placed in any given prison cell.

Prisoner organizations announced that they have decided not to cooperate with any decisions regarding the transfer of prisoners between prison wings.

In Ketziot, riots broke out and guards evacuated the wing’s 70 prisoners following the fires, which are now under control. No casualties were reported.

Authorities suspect that the prisoners purposely set the cells ablaze due to the Prison Service’s decision to separate them. According to Palestinian reports, clashes broke out between guards and inmates at Megiddo Prison as well.

The Prison Service reported that two cells in Rimon Prison were also set ablaze, but that the fire was under control.

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Earlier on Wednesday, clashes broke out between guards and about 150 Islamic Jihad inmates at Ofer Prison who have refused to vacate. On average, there are currently three Islamic Jihad prisoners per cell in Ofer Prison.

According to Israel Prison Service sources, Central District Commander Avichai Ben-Hamo later decided against moving the prisoners, fearing mass disturbances, and they currently remain at Ofer. “They’re just scared of them,” one senior Israel Prison Service official said.

Following Perry’s decision to move its prisoners, Islamic Jihad announced on Wednesday morning that its inmates would hold a hunger strike if Israeli authorities continue taking steps against them in their prisons. In the West Bank, there are calls to hold solidarity marches towards Israeli checkpoints in support of the prisoners.

The Prison Service is expecting and preparing for the prison riots to continue in the coming days as prisoners are transferred. They primarily fear that jailers will be targeted.

At the same time, a Palestinian source close to the security prisoners told Haaretz that inmates affiliated with other Palestinian groups – chiefly Fatah and Hamas – are expected to join in the efforts against the Prison Service if the limitations imposed on them are not lifted. Among those new restrictions are cell searches and limiting the number of hours the prisoners can walk around freely – cut from four hours to one.

In a few wings, prisoners are refusing to accept Islamic Jihad inmates due to deep ideological and religious rifts between them.

Israeli forces are searching the northern villages of Iksal and Salem in the Jezreel Valley for the Palestinian inmates that escaped from Gilboa Prison on Monday. As part of the search effort, the Israeli military said that it has mobilized six companies, two brigades, two search teams and a number of specialized squads over the course of the Rosh Hashanah holiday.